Genie 1022-C DC ChainLift Garage Door Opener Review

I really love a bargain. I’m one of those people that sort stuff on Amazon by price from “low to high”. I like those products that actually get the job done without gut-punching my wallet. Something the British refer to as being “cheap and cheerful”, which basically means something that’s cheap, but not junk.

Budget Genie

The Genie 1022-C seems very promising as a “cheap and cheerful” product. It’s one of the cheapest I could find online. So clearly budget-conscious buyers looking for a new garage door opener will at least consider the Genie.

The unit doesn’t appear to be particularly cheap, being covered in a two-tone plastic cowl. It just looks inoffensive, which is a perfectly good thing for a garage door opener.

The list price for the Genie 1022-C is about $144, including shipping. That’s certainly affordable, but it’s only about $50 on average less than more premium products from companies like Liftmaster – which means that what really matters here is whether the 50 bucks you save is worth it.

On the other hand, the Genie has a surprisingly complete list of features at this price point, so things aren’t at all clear-cut. Let’s have a look at what the Genie 1022-C has to offer for that low asking price.

Unlimited Power!

Unlike in the Aladdin movie, this Genie only has a 1/2 horsepower motor, but it’s described as being “heavy duty”. In practice, this means it can lift doors that weigh as much as 350 pounds, thanks to additional torque. This is a bit more than the 300 pound limit you often see on 1/2 horsepower units like this. Still, even with the little bit of extra power you’ll have to stick with doors made of lightweight materials like aluminum. The height limit is also set at 7 feet, and I couldn’t find any sort of extension kit for the Genie online, such as some other makes of openers provide. In other words, if you have an 8 foot door or larger, this unit just isn’t an option.

The motor is a DC unit and is billed as being quiet. Going by user reviews, that seems to be mostly true. Part of the reason for this might be the soft start and stop feature of the Genie. This gets rid of that jarring and noisy start and stop so many openers have, with the added bonus that (in theory) wear and tear on the internals is reduced. The system also features a dual-pinion design that also promises extended durability.

As with most openers, you can also use the Genie as a garage light. The required 60W bulb is not included, however this means you can get the light you want right off the bat. So the lack of an included bulb really isn’t a negative, given that most people these days would prefer a smart-LED or energy-saver of their choice.

Safety Dance

The biggest worry I have when considering a product like this in the low-budget range is safety. A garage door opener is something that can hurt children, animals or property if it isn’t up to snuff. Saving a bit of money is never worth it when it comes to considering these safety issues; there are a small number of non-negotiables.

The Genie has this covered though, with it’s (I kid you not) “Safe-T-Beam”. Despite having a name reminiscent of ACME, this technology simply uses a diagonal beam of light that, if broken, reverses the door to a fully open position.

Another feature, which they’ve name “Intellitouch”, let’s you limit how much force the motor applies to the door. This is something that seems rather unique, as I certainly haven’t seen a similar feature on other openers yet.

Security Features

Although (according to the Amazon listing) there’s only one three-button remote included, showing one place where costs have been cut, the Genie 1022-C does feature a rolling code feature. This means that every time you open the door the remote receives a new code for the next use. This makes it hard, if not impossible, for a criminal to hijack your remote. This is a feature we see on more expensive openers, and it’s a pleasant surprise to see it on a budget model like this.

DIY Ninja

Reviewers have also made special mention of how easy the unit is to install. The quick wiring features and mostly pre-assembled state of the system make for a smooth experience even if you aren’t particularly handy. The clarity of the manual, in particular, seems to be above-average.

Users have also noted that, if this is a fresh install and not a replacement, you’ll need to buy mounting brackets to mount the motor to the ceiling itself, so keep that in mind.

Wish Granted?

I like the Genie 1022-C; it’s a surprisingly complete product at this price. Of course, it lacks the smart internet features that other modern units have, but it does its primary job – opening garage doors.

There have been scattered complaints about build quality and parts availability, but the Genie comes with a limited warranty of one year on the motor and five years on parts, so there’s some peace of mind to be had there.

If you’re on a very tight budget I think product is worth it, especially if you are installing it in a garage that’s not your main one, such as a beach house or storage unit. Still, if the door isn’t near the motor’s limit there’s no reason the Genie shouldn’t provide years of service.

So, if you don’t care about opening your garage door via the internet from the other side of the world, I can say that the Genie 1022-C ticks all the most important boxes.